1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to processes and devices for assisting aerial navigation.
2. Discussion of the Background
In general, it is known that in aerodynes (aircraft, helicopters, etc.) of modern design, the pilot must carry out a dialogue with a flight management system, this being a computer on board the aerodyne (we shall subsequently speak of an aircraft) for assisting the pilot in a number of operations. These operations are mainly operations for defining the flight plan before take-off, piloting (manual or automatic) operations during take-off and landing, aerial navigation operations (path calculations, etc.), systematic monitoring operations while cruising or when approaching an airport.
The flight management system operates on the basis of data entered by the pilot, data supplied by sensors distributed throughout the aircraft, and possibly digital data transmitted by radio from the ground or from other aircraft or even satellites ("DATALINK" system which is undergoing generalization). The dialogue between the flying crew and the flight management system is carried out mainly by means of at least three interfaces, viz.:
a navigation display on which is represented the plot of the desired course of the aircraft, that is to say a graphical representation of the flight plan of the aircraft and the situation of the aircraft within this plan; PA1 a primary flight display which depicts an artificial horizon which tilts as the aircraft tilts, an indication of the longitudinal attitude of the aircraft, and other useful flying indications, in particular the mode of guidance of the aircraft; PA1 a flight control unit having manual controls for selecting settings such as the desired heading of the aircraft; PA1 and finally a keyboard/display console, termed the MCDU ("Multipurpose Control Display Unit"), this being a data display and input console allowing the flying crew to enter data into the flight management system and to read information forwarded by the flight management system on the basis of the data entered. PA1 simultaneously displaying on the screen of the console a series of main zones which follow one another from the top to the bottom of the screen, each zone corresponding to a step of a navigation procedure, and an independent auxiliary zone associated with each main zone and lying immediately next to this main zone, PA1 in the event that a user selects a main zone corresponding to a specified procedural step, displaying on the console elements necessary for executing this step, PA1 in the event that an item for validating the procedural step corresponding to the selected main zone is input into the console, once again displaying the series of main zones and the associated auxiliary zones, and simultaneously displaying in the auxiliary zone associated with the selected main zone a specific mark indicating that the procedural step has been validated, PA1 retaining in memory and redisplaying, after executing other procedural steps corresponding to other main zones, the previously displayed specific marks, in such a way as to make the validated execution of all the procedural steps already performed appear comprehensively on the screen of the console. PA1 the inputting of a validation item via the first console during the execution of a procedural step corresponding to a specified main zone causes the displaying of a specific mark in the first auxiliary zone associated with this main zone, both on the first console and on the second, PA1 and conversely the inputting of a validation item via the second console causes the displaying of a specific mark in the second auxiliary zone, both on the second console and on the first.
The data display and input console possesses firstly a screen, secondly function keys and finally an alphanumeric keyboard.
As is known, the operations to be performed by the flying crew (one pilot or two pilots) during the various phases of the flight are numerous; they have to be executed systematically, in such a way that the flight management system has access to all the necessary flight scheduling and monitoring data.
In particular, a series of monitoring and data input operations have to be performed by the flying crew during the preflight phase and before the approach phase. Still other operations have to be performed en-route.
The pilot who performs the operations must take care that all the operations provided for within the procedure have been executed properly. Furthermore, in the case of dual controls, these operations have to be shared with the assistant pilot and the operations performed by one of the pilots have to be verified by the other. The communication between the two pilots is verbal, the cockpit comprising two identical sets of flying controls located side by side, each set containing identical interfaces with the single flight management system (or twin system together with a synchronization mechanism).